Dirty Knees: Crown of thorns

April 10, 2009

… then they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head.

(Matthew 27:29 NIV)

Most of us are familiar with the Easter story of the Bible, which describes the suffering of Jesus Christ at the hands of an angry mob; stripped, beaten, whipped, mocked, spat upon and forced to carry the heavy timber which would be the cross piece to which he’d later be nailed. The Bible tells us that a crown of thorns was put on his head before he was lifted up onto the cross, where he died.

Many a gardener has thought about those thorns, in particular when one is stuck in a finger. Rose thorns are the most common culprits, but as thorns go, they’re “not that bad,” something that I attribute to the absence of a barb at the tip. A rose thorn will draw blood, no doubt, but that’s all. Other thorns will embed themselves in the skin like a porcupine quill; barberry for example. Small and vicious, they’ll poke straight through leather gloves and into a fingertip, requiring minor, at-home surgery to remove.

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The thorny plant that composed the crown that Christ wore was probably Euphorbia millii commonly known as “crown of thorns.” It’s a member of the spurge family, along with poinsettia. Plant historians show evidence that the species, which is native to Madagascar, had been introduced to the Middle East before the time of Christ. It is interesting to note that though the branches of this woody shrub usually appear to be dead, they are quite flexible and can easily be twisted and bent.

The thorns of this plant are big, long and extremely sharp, clustered densely along the stems. The plants are succulent, though you wouldn’t know it to look at them. In areas where they grow outside (zones 8 and warmer) they’ll achieve some size and bloom almost all year, with rather unremarkable leaves appearing on only the newest growth.

As houseplants they are interesting and easy to care for. Plenty of good light, a warmish spot, slightly acidic soil and infrequent watering will keep a crown of thorns thriving. My friend, Fay, has one which she keeps in a small greenhouse room on the south side of her home. I saw it in early March when it was covered in pretty, salmon-colored flowers.

Be aware! If you decide to add one to your collection of houseplants, the thorns are not the only hazards connected to this unusual specimen. The woody stems are filled with a milky sap, which is poisonous if ingested and external contact with it causes severe skin irritation, much like poison ivy, which takes me back to the crucifixion of Christ.

I wonder who drew the short straw for the job of making the crown that Jesus wore! Surely he suffered many cuts and scratches, all of which could have come in contact with the oozing poison from the stems.

And Christ, on the cross with these thorns stuck into his scalp, the milky sap causing poison ivy-like irritation — as though the spikes through his wrists and feet, the sword through his side and the excruciating pain of hanging, suspended by those nails alone was not enough — suffered greatly. Whatever your faith base is, history proves that Jesus of Nazareth did indeed live, and he died in that fashion.

Me? I believe the whole story — including the resurrection. History has plenty of evidence to back it up, and faith takes care of the rest. It’s easy, when reading Matthew’s account of the crucifixion, to pass by the crown of thorns. This year I am thinking differently about that.